In this week’s Torah portion, we continue the story of Joseph in Egypt. The portion begins with Joseph’s rise to power, thanks to his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. He is given full responsibility for feeding the nation and, indeed surrounding nations, during the upcoming famine.
This month, I visited the community of Kiryat Arba, one of the original Jewish communities in Judea, established just after the Six Day War.
This week’s portion begins the story of Joseph, beginning with Genesis chapter 37. We learn that Jacob favors Joseph and buys him a striped coat, which results in the brothers’ terrible jealousy of him.
Sondra Oster Baras, an Orthodox Jew who has devoted her life to reaching out to Christians all over the world to bless Israel, shares the history and meaning of Hanukkah with her Christian friends, even as Kimberly Troup, Christian Zionist director of CFOIC Heartland’s US office, and Tommy Waller, Christian Zionist director of HaYovel, share their understanding of Hanukkah, including a mention of the holiday in the Christian Scriptures!